Applied Computing

Digital systems

• functions and capabilities of key hardware and software components of digital systems required for processing, storing and communicating data and information

Data and information

•  characteristics of data types

•  types of data structures

Approaches to problem solving

•  features of functional and non-functional solution requirements, constraints and scope

•  design tools for representing the functionality and appearance of solution designs such as data dictionaries, mock-ups and pseudocode

•  naming conventions for solution elements such as files, functions, methods and variables

•  processing features of a programming language  characteristics of internal documentation

•  formatting and structural characteristics of input and output such as file formats

•  testing and debugging techniques to ensure software solutions meet requirements such as test tables and test data

•  techniques for evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of software solutions

•  project plans to coordinate and monitor the tasks, including sequencing and time allocation to create software solutions.

Key skills

•  analyse solution requirements to develop a software solution

•  select and use appropriate design tools to represent solution designs

•  use a range of data types and data structures

•  develop a software solution using appropriate processing features of a programming language

•  design and apply suitable testing and debugging techniques using appropriate test data

•  evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the software solution to meet requirements document and monitor project plans using software.